4th January, 2024
The former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq has officially written to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission seeking an extension of the deadline to meet with EFCC interrogators over an ongoing probe into the N37,170,855,753.44 allegedly laundered during her tenure in office.
The former minister said the extension was necessary because of her health challenges.
She was billed to appear before interrogators at the EFCC Headquarters on Wednesday but she only sent a legal representative.
Speaking on Thursday, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, confirmed that Umar-Farouq had written to the commission seeking to be given more time to honour the invitation.
Oyewale said, “The former Humanitarian Minister didn’t appear before the commission yesterday, but she sent in a letter pleading for more time and also explaining that she has some health challenges and that was why she couldn’t honour the invitation. She also sent in her lawyer to meet with interrogators.
“However, the commission has mandated her to submit herself to the commission without further delay. We are still tracing all the transactions, hence we cannot put a figure to everything now as the investigation is still ongoing.”
Umar-Farouk served as minister under former President Muhammadu Buhari from August 2019 to May 2023.
Last week, the former minister was invited by the anti-graft agency following a probe that was launched into her activities in the ministry when she held sway.
She was being investigated over the sum of N37.1 billion that was allegedly laundered under her watch through a contractor, James Okwete.